


Pieces Are Falling Into Place

by Keytrastar



Series: The fall [4]
Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon)
Genre: Akita wants to lock himself in his library and never see anyone again, Akou is a walking disaster, Aku and Jack are dorks, Aku is good at them, Aku is the worst employer ever, Akua is a good mommy to her citadel-full of children, Angst and Feels, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Flirting, Bad Jokes, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fairy Tale Retellings, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Gross Medical stories, Hurt/Comfort, Irrational hatred towards black coffee, Jack didn’t know what he was signing up for, Mischief, Misunderstandings, Multi, Nightmares, Pranks and Practical Jokes, So does Satina tbh, Spells Gone Wrong, Stuck in quarantine, Team Bonding, Team as Family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trust Issues, Weird Demon Headcanons, and idiots, lots of fluff in general, mmkay?, oblivious dorks, she needs a raise, yep
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:02:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24073396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keytrastar/pseuds/Keytrastar
Summary: A collection of short stories centered around Jack, Aku and Aku’s minions
Relationships: Akou/Akita (eventually), Aku/Samurai Jack, Akua/Satina
Series: The fall [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1578457
Kudos: 13





	Pieces Are Falling Into Place

**Author's Note:**

> Akua is a good mother, Jack misses his own and really needs a hug, Aku is concerned

They were doing it again.

Of course, Jack had known that such gestures were rather common, not to mention socially accepted, among demons. Had learned a long time ago that they, surprisingly, were quite tactile creatures. But the sight never ceased to amaze him, much like it did now, his heart warming every time upon seeing it and a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he stood back and watched the entire scene play out.

Aku was _purring_ for ancestors’ sake, something he rarely ever did (especially in Jack's presence), his green muzzle burying itself deep into Akua’s cheek fur even as the cat-like demon bared her fangs at him in reply, hissing furiously in warning, still more than a little upset at the way he had handled the recent complaints from one of their colonies. To his great chagrin, the samurai still couldn’t quite pronounce the planet's name, and the demons appeared to like to rub that fact in by voicing it with ease. He forgave them for that, however. It was all gentle teasing on their part with no real intention to insult him.

Despite his minion's obvious displeasure, however, the overlord merely pulled her even closer to himself, his purring slowly morphing into a soothing, apologetic rumble as he nuzzled into her shoulder, his horns dipping low until they were all but pressed flat against his dark essence and his black eyes twinkling with poorly disguised mischief. It seemed to work, however, as the tension eventually bled out of the medic’s form, her yellow eyes softening with affection and a small grin gracing her triangular muzzle even as she shoved at that white nose with a single, clawed hand, pushing the larger demon away from her, Aku’s deep laughter soon reverberating throughout the vast room. A soft chuckle left Akua’s lips as well, her strong tail cracking like a whip in the chilly air of the demon's citadel and her turquoise markings flashing blue in her amusement, even as she sternly, yet fondly, informed her ruler that she would bring this topic up again at a later date and that no amount of puppy dog eyes would be able to sway her resolve then. Aku merely grinned deviously in response, and Jack had to hide his own smile behind the sleeve of his gi.

That was certainly a bold faced lie if he ever heard one.

Though witnessing such scenes between his partner and the head of their medical department had become a regular occurrence in the samurai’s life, Jack couldn’t help, but feel the old grief eating away at him every time he saw them together like this, the memories of his own late mother flashing uncontrollably before his eyes.

He could still remember how her arms had felt wrapped around his body, their gentle weight and warmth easily chasing away all of his ailments and grievances, big or small. Could recall with crystal clarity the way he would run to her whenever he felt upset and desperate for support and the way she would pick him up into her embrace with ease, pressing him close and tenderly wiping away his tears, successfully turning his frown upside down every time. Could recite the melody she had always hummed to him even now, years later, softly lulling him to sleep no matter the circumstances he found himself in, be it running away from a multitude of bounty-hunters after his blood, or suffering from one of Aku's most recent schemes.

He would never feel that kind of love... Not ever again. She was gone, forever gone and there was nothing Jack could do about it. No way for him to see her face again. And he had accepted that a long time ago.

But he missed her... Oh, how he missed her..

The two demons looked up at him as he quietly excused himself from the throne room, concern flashing over both of their faces as he turned away, unwilling to allow them to see his tears. Despite Akua’s worried voice calling out to him, he left the chamber without a word, quietly closing the heavy doors behind him.

Aku would later question him about the incident that night, as they lay in their shared bed, the demon's head a gentle weight against the human’s chest and his black eyes searching those handsome features in barely concealed worry.

No amount of assurances that nothing was amiss seemed to be able to soothe the demon’s fears.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

He found him curled up in Akua’s office, his partner's green muzzle serene and utterly relaxed in his deep sleep as he curled up against the cat-like creature’s side, his horns lowered and tilted out of the way, allowing the demon lord to lay more or less comfortably upon the cushioned seat of the office chair he had pulled up next to the medic’s own.

 _This is not the first time he’s done this,_ Jack realized with sudden, crystal clarity, his onyx eyes widening a fraction at the thought.

Akua must have felt his presence, because she soon looked up from the documents she had been sorting up until that moment, her yellow eyes, as bright and as warm as the sun itself, flickering to his darkened form now standing in her doorway, surprise briefly flashing over her feline features.

Jack suddenly felt very uncomfortable, as if he’d stumbled onto something very personal, something very private that neither of the two demons had ever wanted to share, but leaving now, without a single word, would be rather rude indeed now that he had accidentally interrupted their quiet idyll.

“I... did not know that he comes to you when he is upset,” he murmured instead, his voice barely more than a whisper in order not to wake the slumbering overlord, his body instantly going tense when Aku shifted where he leaned against the smaller being, only to relax when the demon lord went still once more. “Or anyone for that matter”. He had always automatically assumed that Aku kept his thoughts and feelings to himself, considering.. well, everything really. So to find out that he _did_ willingly confide in someone came as a slight shock to the human now, the man shifting awkwardly where he stood out in the hall.

Akua’s eyes flashed for a split-second, but after a moment she returned to her work, just as relaxed as when he'd found them.

“We all need a shoulder to cry on once in a while, samurai,” she said equally quietly, but there was, surprisingly, no anger in her voice, no disdain for his incorrect assumptions about her leader. “Even omnipotent evil overlords.”

The samurai let out a quiet chuckle at her words, feeling some of his awkwardness slowly melt away at her joking tone and cautiously stepped inside, softly slipping Aku’s now average sized form into his arms at the medic’s encouraging nod, unable to stop himself from smiling as that green muzzle nuzzled into his white clad chest, the demon’s black claws instinctively digging into the soft folds of his gi in his deep sleep.

He turned away, ready to take his slumbering partner back to their quarters, but Akua’s accented voice soon stopped him in his tracks, the samurai glancing back at her over his shoulder, dark brows furrowed in confusion.

“Try to have a cup of mint tea waiting for him when he wakes. He likes drinking it after his naps.”

A small smile graced the corner of his lips. “Thank you.”

The cat-like demon didn’t look up from her work, but he could tell that she was hiding a soft grin of her own as well, her torn ears twitching where they lay pressed against her elegant head.

“You are most welcome, samurai”.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Over the years of being stranded in the future, Jack had steadily grown accustomed to relying only on himself, had gotten used to the idea that no one would ever truly be there for him. _He_ was always the person others relied upon, after all. The one his family had hoped would slay Aku, the one the civilians of this world expected to help them in the most dire of times, the one who would always be the rescuer, no matter what, rather than the person in need of being rescued.

And as the years continued to go by, he was only convinced more and more of that fact. But.. his perceptions changed when he finally made Aku's citadel his home.

He’d known of course that the head of their medical department had a.. habit of occasionally checking in on the inhabitants of the citadel. Whether it was to bring Satina a fresh bottle of wine whenever the reptile was stressed and overworked, or to simply stand and listen as Aku ranted, calming him down with just a few words and a quiet advice, Akua seemed to always know what others needed and when, and made it her particular responsibility to attend to all of their needs.

And as time slowly went by, he began to notice her starting to extend the same courtesy to him as well.

Akua began to occasionally come by his own new office, her yellow eyes glowing softly in the natural gloom Aku’s citadel provided and two cups clutched tightly in her clawed hands, one of which contained his favorite tea while the other was usually filled with a simple black coffee. While he still did not understand the appeal of her beverage of choice, none of them really did, he was grateful for her quiet company nonetheless. They did not always speak, simply had no need to, but when they did their conversations would often stray from light-hearted topics and take a more serious turn.

Though she was only older than Aku by about twenty years, not much in demonic standards, the cat-like demon seemed to remember much more of the old days than her leader, simply seemed to know far more of the life during the Emperor’s rule than he ever did. Her recollections rarely pleased the samurai, the horrors she recounted sinking deep into his very soul, but he asked to hear them nonetheless, desperate not to follow the same path his father once had, as well as to right the wrongs he himself had committed. And, despite her reluctance and disapproval, Akua did not deny his wishes, telling him what he wanted to know with almost brutal honesty. Even so, he could tell that it was not easy for her to do so as well, the memories of her own sins eating away at her despite her best efforts to bury them, to keep moving forward in order to, hopefully, some day atone for what she had done.

In spite of their differences, in a way, they were the same. Creatures tormented by the past, by their responsibility to ignore their own needs in favor of helping others. The ones others always placed their hope in.

So, when Akua rose to leave once more, he reached out, his pale fingers gently brushing against the soft black fur of her upper arm, his onyx eyes meeting her bright yellow ones.

“And how are _you_ doing, Akua?”

Though her face remained emotionless, Jack could tell that she was surprised by his quiet question by the small twitch of her torn ears, the way her claws tightened almost imperceptibly around her ceramic cup. After a few seconds of silence, her gaze fell to the floor between them, her shoulders falling from their previously stiff hold in overwhelming exhaustion.

“I lost a patient today,” she said at last, looking down at the now empty contents of the mug she held within her hands. “An aortic dissection. I did not catch it in time.”

Jack felt something cold sink deep into the pit of his stomach, horror washing over him at the whispered admission.

She had lost a life that day and still came by to make sure that _he_ was alright, that _he_ and the rest of the citadel’s inhabitants were okay. If he hadn’t asked, hadn't given in to his concern, she would’ve certainly kept it to herself, reluctant to lay her own problems upon other people... The revelation made him wonder just how many times she had hid such things from them.

He quietly stood up from his comfortable chair and, completely disregarding the way she tensed at his sudden approach, gently guided her to take a seat on the leather sofa that lined one of the walls of his room, softly requesting for her to tell him what happened.

The look of surprise on her face, as if no one had ever asked her to do such a thing before, as if this was the first time anyone had inquired about her own state, hurt him almost as much as the loss of yet another portal in time.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

He hadn’t meant to snap at her, hadn’t meant to hurt her, the words slipping past his lips against his wishes, leaving both of them stunned by the end of his angry tirade. She had just caught him at a most inopportune time, he would later tell himself as the guilt ate away at his heart. She should not have acted that way towards him. Should have respected his boundaries. Should have minded her own business.

_She was not his mother after all..._

Despite being obviously shaken and hurt by his unexpected reaction to her simple inquiry of his health and whether or not he had slept well the previous night, seeing as there were dark bags beneath his eyes, the demon soon recovered from her momentary shock, her shoulders squaring and her body straightening out once more, a hardened glint slowly resurfacing within her eyes. One that he hadn’t seen since the first few years he had spent in Aku's citadel.

“As you wish, samurai,” she said and Jack mentally winced at the cold, clipped tone, guilt washing over him in a giant wave as Akua turned on her heel, leaving the throne room with a soft whooshing sound of her long tail lashing in the chilly air. He didn’t need to look up to know that Aku and Satina were still staring at him in shock and disapproval, but when he did, the human did not miss the brief flash of anger and judgement in the reptile's eyes. The demon Lord managed to keep his face emotionless, though the human could tell that he was displeased by his actions as well.

“What was that, samurai?” Aku hissed and Jack couldn’t stop himself from wincing if he tried, knowing full well that he deserved the reproach directed at him now.

“I.. I do not know..” he admitted quietly, shame wrapping it’s cold claws around his heart as he stared at the now open doorway through which the demon had disappeared mere seconds ago.

The samurai was lying however. He knew exactly why he had snapped at her. Why he had been so frustrated with her as of late.

_She reminded him too much of the mother he’d lost so long ago..._

“I should... go apologize to her,” he murmured to the two beings, his voice barely more than a whisper, before turning swiftly on his heel and leaving as well, following the path the medic had taken a few minutes ago now.

It didn't take him long to locate where she had gone.

He soon found her in her office, as he had expected to as Akua had a tendency of burying herself in her work, but even though she must’ve sensed his presence (he was hardly being quiet after all), she didn’t look up, already thumbing through the reports and test results she had recently received from their labs, her yellow eyes skimming through the displayed information there.

It took him a while to find his voice. It took him even longer to figure out what he wanted to say in the first place, what he _could_ say, given the circumstances.

"Akua, I-"

"It is alright, samurai," the cat-like demon said before he could continue, still refusing to look up from her notes. "I had no right to invade your privacy like that. You have your boundaries, and I should have respected them. Rest assured, I will do my best not to pry into your life from now on."

Somehow, that quiet, yet professional admission hurt him more than any scolding ever could and the man looked down at his feet, guilt clenching painfully around his heart.

When silence prevailed between them long enough and it was obvious that the demon would not speak again, Jack swallowed, forcing himself to voice the request he had kept to himself for so long.

"Akua, may I… ask something of you that could be considered a violation of personal space?"

The demon looked up at that, suspicion briefly flashing over her feline like features, her ears twitching where they lay against her skull. "And what would that be?"

Before he could second-guess what he was about to do, before he could even _think_ of doing so, Jack was already striding forth, his arms winding around the creature's thin body and his face burying itself deep into the soft fur of Akua's midsection, faint tremors running the length of his entire form.

After a few seconds of startled silence, the samurai let go, embarrassment washing over him in a giant wave and the words automatically spilling from his lips as he desperately thought of a way to explain himself, to escape. "I-I am sorry. I do not-"

Soft hands wrapped around his shaking body, pressing him back into the warm, comforting embrace of the being standing before him. A soothing rumble travelled through Akua's broad chest as her clawed fingers began to move, one hand travelling up and down his spine in light caresses while another gently carded through his long hair, her touch always so tender, so caring, so utterly _loving_.

Unable to contain himself any longer, he buried his face into her soft fur once more, inhaling her scent that was so different from that of the late Empress, but equally as soothing as hers had always been.

At some point, Akua began to hum an ancient tune, one he had not heard be sung to him for so many years, not since his own mother had sung it to him last in fact, his trembling steadily resuming once more.

It was a long time before he let go.


End file.
